Russian missile hits a Liberia-flagged ship in Odesa

A firefighter putting out a blaze after a Russian strike in Kupiansk. Pic/AP

A Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian port of Odesa hit a Liberian-flagged freighter, killing a port worker and injuring three citizens of the Philippines, who are crew members on the ship, Ukraine's armed forces said Thursday.

The report did not give the name of the ship or the country of its owners, but Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said the ship was to carry iron ore to China.

The extent of the damage was not immediately reported. Another port worker was injured in the attack along with the one killed. Additionally, three other civilians were killed in Russian attacks over the past day, according to a summary from the presidential office.

Russia using Ukrainian POWs to fight war

Russia is sending Ukrainian prisoners of war to the front lines of their homeland to fight on Moscow's side in the war, the Russian state news agency. The news agency said the soldiers swore allegiance to Russia when they joined the battalion, which entered service last month. Associated Press could not confirm the authenticity of the report, or whether the POWs were coerced into their actions. The Ukrainian military, human rights officials and the Russian Defense Ministry refused to comment on the development.

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